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Tsuruza Clan
A clan shrouded in mystery and seemingly the descendants of cranes. They are strange creatures who only joined a shiobi village after the Third Shinobi War. The clan has found a home in Yukigakure no Sato. Ideology “patience begets wisdom” Like the Cranes of their namesake the Tsuruza clan prefer to watch and observe from afar placing a great deal of emphasis on the use of wisdom and common sense. Clan members are taught from an early age that their decisions and choices effect the clan as a whole not only themselves and to take great care to consider their 'flock' before acting. For while the Tsuruza clan holds wisdom in great esteem there is nothing more valued to them then family. Be it the clan or the family of ones choice. Naturally highly social creatures like their avian cousins it is extremely unusual to find a lone Tsuruza. Even those members who avoid the company of their fellow clansmen and the politics being a part of a clan tends to bring typically form a 'flock' made up of their team or associates. With even the most isolated of Tsuruza usually keeping pet birds or other winged creatures as companionship. Tsuruza themselves are highly protective of their flock and are known to be loyal and fierce companions of both their winged and featherless family members. While one of the newer clans to ally with Yukigakure the Tsuruza clan boasts rather large numbers and a healthy shinobi and civilian clan population. This is mostly due to the emphasis placed by the clan on family and the common practice of adoption. It's extraordinarily common that should the offspring of a Tsuruza clanmembers flock become orphaned due to a flock members death for the Tsuruza clan to petition to adopt them to ensure they are provided for. While named for and believed to be descended from Cranes Tsuruza clan members features vary in avian appearance. With most families resembling certain species of birds such a hawks, magpies, and owls making it easy to recognize relatives and cousins with features varying the more distant the relation. Though crane like Tsuruza are by far the most common. Clan members born with the clans kekkei genkai typically favor loose kimono like wear with wing like sleeves to allow them ease of movement and flight. Most clan members tend to dislike small enclosed spaces and claustrophobia is highly common among the civilian population of the clan. Clan History The Tsuruza clan is a relatively young clan having been recognized in Yukigakure in official capacity during the end of the third Shinobi war. The clan itself originally hailing from Tori no Kuni, but as a lone clan in an unaffiliated country caught between the vicious and warring factions of Sunagakure and Iwagakure the Tsuruza clan quickly found themselves losing members and losing ground. Deciding discretion was the better part of valor the Tsuruza clan pulled back out of Tori no Kuni migrating north to the isolated and more importantly neutral country of Yuki no kuni. Eventually allying with Yukigakure no sato and joining the village in an official capacity in -24SD when scouts reported back on the devastation of Tori no Kuni and the complete destruction of the clans strongholds there. Making it clear there was nothing left for the Tsuruza clan in the Land of Birds other then more pain and death. As one of the youngest clans of Yukigakure the Tsuruza lack the prestige of the older clans of the village. Doubly so given that much of their history remains undocumented and what little was documented was lost in their rapid flight from Tori no Kuni. Thus the clan's origins have taken on a more mythical twist as the story of their creation is passed by word of mouth from generation to generation. Legend has it the clan is descended from a crane spirit who eons ago contracted itself with a young Kunoichi as her summons. However as the years would pass the Crane would find himself falling deeply in love with his summoner and unable to bear seeing her with another in desperation he shapeshifted himself into a proud swordsman to be with her. The pair would live out their lives happily, their children neither entirely avian nor human, but straddling the line between earth and sky. Until eventually the Kunoichi grew old. Being a spirit merely masquerading in human form the Crane did not age and when his love did finally pass it broke the summons heart. Who in his grief cast off the shackles of his disguise returning to his true form never to walk the realm of mortals again. However, through his children, and their children, and their children's children his memory and the memory of his love would live on in the Tsuruza clan. Clan Hierarchy The Tsuruza clan hierarchy resembles less a hierarchy then it does a flock with the clan itself being lead by the oldest and wisest of it's members in a loose council. The clan 'leader' as it were is less a true leader so much as they are a mouthpiece for the council and a tiebreaker in the rare instance the elders cannot come to an agreement on a matter. The clan conducts itself as a family first and foremost with the clan 'heir' typically being the apprentice of the current clan leader. Whom they will train under until such a time as the current leader retires and the heir is determined fit to represent the clan before the village. Kekkei Genkai Avian Adaption Those clan members possessing the Tsuruza Kekkei Genkai are easily recognizable at birth. Born with strong, but hollow bones, talon tipped hands and avian like feet it is difficult to mistake a Tsuruza child for anything, but a child of the clan. Typically within the first three weeks as hair begins to grow in so too will soft downy feathers cover the baby's arms. Tsuruza children are likewise born with an innate understanding of the language of their avian cousins. Thus able to communicate simple concepts such as color, direction, and other limited descriptions though their communication cannot go beyond the intellectual understanding of their feathered conversation partners. However their abilities do not come without a price. Puberty for a Tsuruza is an awkward and painful time. The very definition of ugly ducklings the Tsuruza go through a rapid and agonizing growth spurt in their teens. The average Tsuruza reaches six feet in height with the majority of their growth being in their arms and legs which stretch painfully to accommodate becoming their wings as they age into their teens. During this time a Tsuruza will molt the soft downy feathers of their childhood and gain their flight feathers. Their eyesight likewise sharpening to accommodate these changes. Eventually culminating in full grown clan members becoming capable of limited flight. While incapable of true flight Tsuruza clan members are able to glide and maneuver through the air coasting on air currents for hours on end with great skill. However doing so makes it impossible for Tsuruza to utilize any jutsu that requires two hands while on the wing. Their inability to ground themselves during flight in addition making the airborne shinobi more vulnerable to the likes of Raiton Ninjutsu. Likewise their winged limbs make Taijutsu and Bukijutsu techniques not specifically designed for the clan that utilizes the upper body difficult. As the Tsuruza's wings are designed with different aerodynamics to that of a normal taijutsu or bukijutsu user causing their punches and sword techniques to function at a rank lower then a non-clan member in regards to standard taijutsu and bukijutsu that utilizes the arms. Skilled Tsuruza Jounin and up are capable of leaping high enough into the air while beating their wings to gain enough lift and height to catch the needed wind to begin an ascension glide. Chuunin Tsuruza and below however need to either take off at a height of twenty five feet or more or utilize fuuton jutsu to give them the needed boost to take to the air. Tsuruza are naturally adapted to high altitudes and are capable of safely reaching heights of three miles without complications. Heights above three miles require proper altitude gear and breathing apparatuses with the highest a Tsuruza has been recorded safely reaching being seven miles. Heights above this risk the Tsuruza's feathers becoming cold and brittle with frost sending them plummeting. Enhanced Eyesight As a Tsuruza clan member comes into their own so too does their eyesight sharpening to an impressive 20/5 vision. Allowing clan members to spot targets visually up to 3 miles away. Their eyes functioning similar to those of an eagles with binocular vision allowing them to make out even tiny details of their prey at long distances upon the wing and giving them limited black and white night vision up one in a half miles. Most clan members likewise have a secondary clear eyelid utilized to protect their eyes mid-flight. However this visual sensitivity is a double edged sword making them easily blinded by the likes of flashbangs without proper precaution.Category:Clans Category:Yuki no Kuni Category:Kekkei Genkai Category:Yukigakure Clans